Landscape Architecture and Art, Volume 2, Number 2Tendencies of the elements of modern art
and architecture in the historical centers
of towns in Zemgale
Aija Ziemeļniece, Latvia University of Agriculture
Abstract. Today, it is impossible to view architecture, art and landscape space in isolation. Together they
create a definite town planning environment with its inherent scale and proportion.
Historically changing as the attitude and requirements of the society towards architecture are changing,
architecture also changes on the whole.New technologies and 3D-designing at present opens up unprecedented
opportunities, which are vividly marked in the works by the 21 century architects-architecture evolves as an art,
in its expressions using various ways of form creation [1]. Experiments in the field of synthesis of arts have become
the main driving force due to the growing desire of the society for a new, qualitative, artistic and also sustainable
architecture. Also, synthesis of arts is a novel instrument for promotion of competition among architects, since
qualitative design proposals, which strive to tear down borders between different kinds of art, can be competitive
as the demand in the general public grows for a particularly qualitative urban environment [1]. Today, it is
impossible to view architecture, art and landscape space in isolation. Together they create a definite town
planning environment with its inherent scale and proportion. The city is a seampless and complex form,
which, at the same time, is changing and chaotic. Ready system, structured in levels, is not characteristic to it.
Urban environment becomes a noticeable and recognizable place if it is designed clear and understandable for the
users, so that they can give their own meaning and connection to hte surrounding to it [2].
Key words: Urban landscape space, cultural historical landscape, synthesis, aesthetic quality,
historic centre of town.
Introduction
The development of the cultural landscape and
the planning environment of the Lielupe river basin
of Zemgale region is brightly described by the
structure, scale and form of the natural base of the
historical building of Bauska, Dobele and Jelgava.
The growth of the region‟s three towns has been
facilitated by the strong agricultural farming which
is more attributable to the period of time from 80s of
the 19th century when the economic boom wave
from Western Europe contributed to the rapid
growth of towns and manors in Zemgale.
By contrast, the devastating years of the war
and the post-socialist period in the second half of
20 th century hit this region in the hardest way by
changing the building structure of the towns‟ historic
centers.
The review of the research problem is associated
with the transformation processes of the 60s-80s of
the 20th century which brought rapid changes in the
cultural historical part of the town. During this
period of time, a very small part of the old building
was renewed in the part of the historical center
which during the war years had gone to rack and
ruin. In place of the burnt construction volume there
were introduced new tree plantations or courtyards
with a large garden zone where the length of tree
branches with years increased and hid
expressiveness of the old building. The trends of
town planning over the last decade creates a new
direction, affecting both the historical building
recovery and a sound preservation of some green
zones. Consequently, in the design of the historical
center of the town, great attention is paid to the
searches of synthesis of the art elements and green
structure. The purpose of the article is to study the
historical centers of separate towns in
Zemgale region and evaluate the results, describing
the collaboration of town planners and landscape
architects through the principles of visual modeling.Methodology of the research
The modern design technologies allow to look at
the development of the urban environment and
forecast its architectural spatial scale, proportion and
form. Nevertheless, visual representation in urban
planning is predominantly a modelling tool, which
shows the mode of structuring information and
allows the tracking of the development of
architectural thinking. Therefore, the inquiry of
visual aspects in urban planning is based on the
cross-disciplinary research, as well as on the
theoretical assamptions and on the examination of
practical examples of urban planning itself [3].
The tendencies that set the trends of research design
methodologies in art disciplines, architecture and
urban planning indicate that the prevailing course is
integration of artistic and scientifically analytic